Stranding machine



Dec. 19, 1950 c. o. BRuEsTLE 2,534,696

STRANDING MACHINE Filed .rune 25, 194s s sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 19, 1950 c. o. BRuEs'rLE STRANDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25. 1949 j nio-1:- 064110.57111.

Dec. 19, 1950 c. C. BRUESTLE STRANDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 25, 1949 Patented ec. 19, 195() STTES PATENT OFFICE STRAN DING MACHINE Application June'25, 1949, Serial No. 101,446

Claims.

The present invention relates to stranding machines and particularly to stranding machines of the type which is known as tube and disc. The tube and disc type stranding machine is essentially a modiiication of the well known tubular strander but can more readily be constructed in large sizes since a tube of sufiicient size for very large wire spools requires an extremely large and costly lathe. In general, however, such tube and disc stranders have comprised a plurality of discs joined by tubes spaced about the peripheries of the discs, there being ordinarily three such tubes.

I have found that a tube and disc strander can be made to withstand much greater loads and to operate at considerably higher speeds by utilizing a plurality of tubes or rods at each of a number of spaced points about the periphery of the discs. My present invention, therefore, utilizes a tube, #or rod, and disc construction for a stranding machine in which the axially spaced discs are joined by groups of tubes at spaced points about the peripheries of the discs.

It is an object of the invention to provide a stranding machine of the tube and disc type having the capabilities oi operating at much higher speeds than has been true fof such stranding machines in the past,

It is another object of the invention to provide for such a high speed tube and disc stranding machine by utilizing a group of tubes at each of a plurality of spaced points about the peripheries of the discs to provide the driving force from the first or driven disc through the stranding machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tube and disc stranding machine so organized that in the event of failure of one of the drive tubes the damaged tube may be readily removed and'a replacement therefor inserted.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent when the following description is taken in yconnection with the annexed drawings in which- Figure l is a top plan View of a stranding machine in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 3 showing the mode of mounting a group of driving tubes in the periphery of one of the discs;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of one section of a stranding machine showing details of the tube and disc structure;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View of the device of Figure 3 showing particularly tating parts of the machine.

the mode of mounting a reel supporting cradle on the stranding machine disc; and

Figure 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 :of Figure 4 showing the arrangement of the driving tubes and particularly the 4mode of grouping the tubes at spaced points about the periphery of the discs.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown at i 8 a disc preferably of steel and provided with a rim ll at its outer edge which rim rides upon suitable rollers which serve to support the ro- Fastened to each side of each disc i@ (with the exception, of course, of the end discs) is an aluminum or other light metal casting l2' lor I3 in the form of a spoked wheel having a solid periphery. The castings i2 and i3 differ slightly in that casting I2 is constructed to accommodate a member lli which serves to support one end of a cradle i5 and likewise to provide a guide means for a wire indicated at I6 which is fed from the reel l? mounted in the cradle i5. The other casting i3 is slightly differently constructed since it is provided with a dierent type of wire guide and is, therefore, not hollow as is the member lll. However, casting I3 is also provided with a supporting means for the opposite end of the reel cradle l5, as is clearly shown in the drawings and as is common in machines of this general type.

Castings E2 and i3 are each provided with openings at spaced points about their peripheries, these openings being shown in Figures 3, i and 5 particularly and being designated i3. In the particular instance these openings are provided in three groups spaced 129 apart and each group comprises four openings, as is clearly indicated in Figure 5. Extending between each ycasting i3 and its cooperating casting I2 and located in corresponding holes i8 are the tubes 2i?, which tubes are inserted in the openings IB and held in position in any suitable manner as, for example, by means of the taper pins 2i.

As is customary in machines of this type, the wires from the various reels are led through centrally located guides and thence to the outer portion of the disc by means of guides such as 22 and are then led through additional guides 23 and then, in the particular instance, through holes in the steel plates or discs I6 and the ycastings il and l2 and ultimately to the terminal portion of the machine where they are twisted together to form the end product of the machine.

By utilization of the construction above de-v scribed, the weight of the strander is materially reduced since instead of utilizing a solid tube of l l f 'i l large diameter there have been substituted the discs comprising the members EU, I2 and I3 and the tubes 2E. This reduction in Weight is a material advantage since the centrifugal forces produced by the rota-tion of the heavy mass of the large tube frequently used is extremely great and limits the speed of operation of the machine,

Additionally, the utilization of groups of tubes such as have been described is a material advantage as compared with the use of a single tube at each one of the spaced points about the periphery of the various discs. If a single tube were used, it would be necessary that that tube be heavier and of greater diameter in order to secure the same strength and to transmit the proper driving force. The increase in diameter of the tube would necessarily increase the radius about which the tube rotated and thus would materially increase the centrifugal force and consequent bending movements applied to the tube. By using a group of tubes, it lis possible to utilize much smaller tubes and of lighter weight and, most important of all, to locate these tubes at a lesser radius from the center of rotation to thereby materially reduce the centrifugal forces exerted upon the tubes.

Great advantage is derived from this construetion since the tubes, while uniform in outside diameter, may be varied in Wall thickness and thus the tubes nearer the driving end of the machine be stronger than those nearer the final end so that each tube is of proper strength for transmitting the driving torque required at the particular stage where that tube is used. If desirable, of course, this variation in wall thickness may be carried to the extent Where some of the tubes become solid rods.

The construction described is also of major advantage in the minimization of time required t replace a tube in the event of failure. Thus, it is only necessary in order to replace Va tube to remove the discs l2 and I3 at opposite ends of a cradle l5 from their corresponding discs I0, to then remove the taper pins 2| at the ends of the tubes of that section, separate the section, remove the damaged tube and replace it, and then reverse the process to re-insert the section in the machine.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that modifications thereof may be utilized Within the scope and spirit of my invention. Consequently, I Wish to be limited not by the foregoing description but, on the contrary, solely by the claims granted to me.

What is claimed is:

l. In a stranding machine of the tubular type, in combination, a plurality of discs spaced along an axis and externally supported for rotation about that axis, a reel supporting cradle mounted between each adjacent pair of discs, said cradles being mounted upon secondary discs xed to said first mentioned discs and a plurality of groups of tubes extending between adjacent ones of said secondary discs and fixed thereto.

2. In a stranding machine of the tubular type, in combination, a plurality of discs spaced along an axis for rotation thereabout, each said disc being flanged, means cooperating with said disc iianges for supporting them for rotation about their common axis, cradles for supporting reels of wire, means fastened to each Side of each disc except the end discs for supporting one of said cradles, said means comprising plates fastened to said discs, and means connecting adjacent ones of said plates for spacing the said plates and discs along the axis of the machine and for transmitting the driving force from the first disc to subsequent discs, said means comprising a plurality of groups of small tubes fixed in spaced bores in said plates, said groups being spaced about the peripheries of said plates.

3. In a stranding machine of the tubular type, in combination, a plurality of discs spaced along an axis for rotation thereabout, each said disc being flanged, means cooperating with said disc flanges for supporting them for rotation about their common axis, cradles for supporting reels of wire, means fastened to each side of each disc except the end discs for supporting one of said cradles, said means comprising plates fastened to said discs, and means connecting adjacent ones of said plates for spacing the said plates and discs along the axis of the machine and for transmitting the `driving force from the first disc to subsequent discs, said means comprising three groups of small tubes iixed in spaced bores in said plates, said groups being spaced evenly about the peripheries of said plates.

4. In a stranding machine of the tubular type, in combination, a plurality of discs spaced along an axis forrotation thereabout, each said disc being flanged, means cooperating with said disc iianges for supporting them for rotation about their common axis, cradles for supporting reels of Wire, means fastened to each side of each disc except the end discs for supporting one of said cradles, said means comprising plates fastened to said discs, and means connecting adjacent ones of said plates for spacing the said plates and dises along the axis of the machine and for trans mitting the driving force from the rst disc to subsequent discs, said means comprising three groups of small tubes, four `tubes in each group,

Vfixed in spaced bores in said plates, said groups being spaced evenly about the peripheries of said plates.

5. In a stranding machine of the tubular type, in combination, a plurality of discs spaced along an axis for rotation thereabout, each said disc being flanged, means cooperating with said disc flanges for supporting them for rotation about their common axis, .cradles for supporting reels of wire, means fastened to each side of each disc except the end discs for supporting one of said cradles, said means comprising plates fastened to said discs, and means connecting adjacent ones of said plates for spacing the said plates and discs along the axis `of the machine and for transmitting the driving force from the first disc tosubsequent discs, said means comprising a plurality of groups of small tubes xed in spaced bores in said plates, said groups being spaced about the peripheries of said plates, whereby the bending moments `on the connecting tubes is reduced due to the minimum distance from the axis of rotation at which said tubes of said plurality of said groups of tubes are mounted.

CARL O. BRUESTLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,088,467 Skelton Feb. 25, 1914- l,423,'776 Morrison July 25, 1922 

